turncoat

A compound of turn +‎ coat, reportedly derived from the sometime military practice of wearing uniform coats that were lined in material of a contrasting color, and which could be worn inside out to present a different appearance.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtəːn.kəʊt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtɝn.koʊt/

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turncoat (plural turncoats)

1. A traitor; one who turns against a previous affiliation or allegiance.

   Synonyms: apostate, defector, renegade

   • 1711, Jonathan Swift, An Excellent New Song:

     But some will cry Turncoat, and rip up old stories, / How I always pretended to be for the tories:

• turn-coat
• turn coat

turncoat (third-person singular simple present turncoats, present participle turncoating, simple past and past participle turncoated)

1. To act as a turncoat; to betray